Strange Place

"A visit to a strange place will bring you renewed perspective".

This fortune was in my cookie last week. Immediately my thoughts leapt to Edinburgh, Ankarra, Dubai, Barcelona...some strange, enchanting place that would bring me a renewed perspective.

It turns out the "strange place" was within walking distance from my apartment.

Last Friday I volunteered with Meals on Wheels. Before you think of saying I am noble or charitable, I will confess that it was through work and it allowed me to leave town for my Six Flags adventure early.

"Messick-Buntyn" is a neighborhood in decline. It's not really the ghetto or a rough part of town, just neglected. My coworker and I knocked on the first door and Ms. Mills answered. She was probably in her 60's and was delighted to see us. She could not really remember if she had met us before (she had not) and was taken aback by our bright t-shirts (part of the volunteer day). She proceeded to tell us how happy she was that we came because since she got sick her power got cut off and she could not cook anything. These meals and the ones from her church family were pretty much the only ones she had.

She did not say any of this in a manner to solicit sympathy or pity. She was in extremely high spirits and genuinely delighted to see us. Before we left for the delivery the volunteers told us this might be the case because many of these people don't get many visitors. We are the only human interaction many of them have all day.

Talk about a change of perspective. This woman was one among thousands in my city. People elderly and alone. Widows and orphans. Yet, she was thankful.

I decided to tack on an extra 5 dollars a month to my electric bill to help those who can't afford to pay. For a long time I stubbornly refused, thinking it was not my responsibility to give the utility company money for other people. However, nobody should live without electricity. Nobody.

I must never forget how fortunate I am.

Note: This is an older post, but I thought it deserved to see the light of day.